Dar al Horra Palace - Islamic things you must visit in Granada

Picture shared via http://alhambracadabra.blogspot.com.es

Text via www.granadatur.com 

It was built in the 15th century on the remains of the destroyed palace of the Ziri kings. It very interesting as it is the only one, out of several which were in the Albayzin, which has been preserved. The name “Dar-al-horra” (House of the Honest Lady) seems to honour one of its inhabitants: Aisha, the mother of King Boabdil, the last of the Muslim monarchs in Spain.

After the conquer of Granada in 1492 by the Catholic Monarchs, the Muslims ceded the Palace an the surrounding houses to the Kings’ secretary, Hernando de Zafra. Afterwards, Queen Isabella decided to found ther the Santa Isabel la Real Convent. The building was owned by the religious order until the beginnings of the 20th century when it was purchased by the government. Today it has been catallogued as Heritage of Cultural Interest.

Picture shared via http://alhambracadabra.blogspot.com.es

Its structure and decoration is the characteristic of the Nasrid art. It has two floors in two of its sides and a tower in its North side. We can admire a central courtyard or patio, two “porticos” in the lower sides and a little pool with fountain by the South portico.

Picture shared via http://alhambracadabra.blogspot.com.es

The North side is the most interesting in the building; it has two floors and a tower. On the ground floor, the portico is formed by three horseshoe’s archs on columns and it is covered by a magnificent Arab-style ceiling made of simple wood and decorated with geometrical shapes. 

In the centre a door with horseshoe arch gives access to a rectangular hall with side rooms and a watchpoint in the centre from where one can see part of the district. The different rooms are divided with archs and covered by Arab-style ceilings. In some walls there still are some Arabic inscriptions.

Read More

1609 The expulsion of Moriscos, the muslim andalusian people

In 1492, after 10 years of fighting, King Muhammad XII, known as Boabdil to the Spanish) surrendered the keys of the Alhambra Palace in Granada to Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon.

The last King of Granada and the Catholic Monarchs had signed the Capitulation of Granada at the end of 1491, a treaty which guaranteed rights to Muslims, including religious tolerance and fair treatment, in return for their unconditional surrender.

However, the rights of the natives of Granada were not respected for long. New special taxes aimed at Muslims were introduced, they were forced to live in segregated districts, and Christians began settling on what had been Muslim-owned land

The Capitulation of Granada (extracts)

•    That both great and small should be perfectly secure in their persons, families, and property.
•    That they should be allowed to continue living in their dwellings and residences, whether in the city, the suburbs, or any other part of the country.
•    That their laws should be preserved, and that no-one should judge them except by those same laws.
•    That their mosques, and the religious endowments pertaining to them, should remain as they were in the times of Islam.
•    That no Christian should enter the house of a Muslim, or insult him in any way.
•    That all Muslim captives taken during the siege of Granada, from whatever part of the country they might have come, but especially the nobles and chiefs mentioned in the agreement, should be liberated.
•    That all those who might choose to cross over to Africa should be allowed to take their departure within a certain time, and be conveyed thither in the king's ships, and without any pecuniary tax being imposed on them.
•    That after the expiration of that time no Muslim should be hindered from departing, provided he paid, in addition to the price of his passage, the tithe of whatever property he might carry with him.
•    That the Christians who had embraced Islam should not be compelled to relinquish it and adopt their former creed.

Capitulation of Granada (selection)

•    That any Muslim wishing to become a Christian should be allowed some days to consider the step he was about to take; after which he is to be questioned by both a Muslim and a Christian judge concerning his intended change, and if, after this examination, he still refuses to return to Islam, he should be permitted to follow his own inclination.
•    That no Muslim should be prosecuted for the death of a Christian slain during the siege; and that no restitution of property taken during this war should be enforced.
•    That no increase should be made to the usual taxes, but that, on the contrary, all the oppressive taxes lately imposed should be immediately suppressed.
•    That no Christian should be allowed to peep over the wall, or into the house of a Muslim or enter a mosque.
•    That any Muslim choosing to travel or reside among the Christians should be perfectly secure in his person and property.
•    That no badge or distinctive mark be put upon them, as was done with the Jews and Mudejare (converted Muslims).
•    That no muezzin should be interrupted in the act of calling the people to prayer, and no Muslim molested either in the performance of his daily devotions or in the observance of his fast, or in any other religious ceremony; but that if a Christian should be found laughing at them he should be punished for it.
•    That the Muslims should be exempted from all taxation for a certain number of years.

The Capitulation of Granada

The Capitulation is a remarkable example of religious toleration for its time (or even for modern times). From the conquest in 1492 until 1495, both parties to the Capitulation tried to respect it. However, during the last years of the 15th century, several decrees were issued which over-ruled it. Muslims rights were unilaterally revoked. The arrival in Granada of the Archbishop of Toledo, the Franciscan Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros, in October of 1499, led to important changes in their situation.

Relying on Canon Law, the Cardinal held that Christians who had converted to Islam (called
‘helches’) or their descendants should be forced to return to Christianity.

Moreover, about 5000 Arabic manuscripts from the Madrassa were burned in the Bib-Rambla square in Granada on the orders of the Archbishop. Such actions broke with the policy of mutual respect and peaceful assimilation.

Changes in attitude

"[Archbishop of Toledo] helches have to be restored to our faith, because Canon Law demands that they be reconciled and returned to our faith"

Archbishop Cisneros, 1499

"Don Fernando and Doña Ysabel. To all magistrates and mayors of the Kingdom of Granada. You know that the Moors who lived in that Kingdom converted to our holy Catholic faith, but they had many false books of their false sect, which should be burned in the fire to destroy their memory and avoid them making mistakes. And We order to any person in possession of these books that within the established period they should give up the aforementioned books under pain of death and confiscation of their wealth if they do not respect this."

Provision of the Catholic Monarchs ordering the burning of all books in the Kingdom of Granada, 1501

Revolt in the Albaicin

These events caused a revolt in the Albaicin (the most famous Muslim quarter of Granada) and
triggered an irreversible process of conversion.

In 1502 the Muslim population of the former Kingdom of Granada was forced to convert or be expelled and, at the beginning of the 16th century, the conversion to Catholicism was declared compulsory within the Kingdom of Castile and the territories of the Crown of Aragon. All the Muslims who remained in Spain became Moriscos.

A threat to the Hispanic Monarchy

During the 1550s Turks and Berbers became a serious threat to Mediterranean Christian countries. Moriscos were seen as possible allies and were therefore regarded as a potential threat to the Hispanic Monarchy. A lot of propagandists, including representatives of the Church, proposed measures for dealing with the threat. Moriscos were officially Christians and therefore, according to the Canon Law, if they were proved to be heretics or apostates, they should be condemned to death.

“It is said that the Moors should incur the death penalty, the loss of their property and their children or risk servitude and slavery. It would not be an injustice if they were put to the sword, but at least His Majesty, in conscience and good government, must banish them from these Kingdoms.”

Fray Pedro Arias to the State Council

“If they go to Africa they will join up with the people from there and they will return to Spain. These people can be deported to the coasts of “macallaos” and Terranova, which are wide and without any population, where they should be castrated.”

Martín de Salvatierra,Bishop of Segorbe, 1587

“that all men, women and children were shut up in drilled vessels without oars, rudders, rigging and sails and sent to Africa.”

Report from Juan Boil de Arenós to the State Council, 1601

 

The expulsion of Moriscos

Finally, in 1609, Philip III decreed the expulsion of all Moriscos. The main argument for this was the

Although there had been rumours of expulsion for a long time, the news still took most Moriscos by surprise. They had to sell their possessions hurriedly and lots of them were robbed and killed during the journey.

The situation of Moorish children was also tragic. A lot of them were separated from their parents and the King established that fathers or mothers who refused to leave their sons and daughters should be executed. As a consequence of these measures, thousands of children were virtually kidnapped under the protection of the law.
possible support of the Moriscos for a supposed Turkish invasion of Spain. This decision especially affected the Crown of Aragon and, particularly, the former Kingdom of Valencia, where Moriscos formed one third of the total population.

Text by: http://www.historiana.eu

Read More

The Albaycin al-bayyāzīn, the old Arab Quarter in Granada

The Albaycin is the old Arab Quarter. It comprises approximately the area between the hill of the Alhambra, the hill of San Cristobal, the Sacromonte and Elvira.  It was declared a world heritage site in 1984, along with the more famous Alhambra.

The name albaicín appears to derive from the Arab word al-bayyāzīn, pronounced with an imala in the Granadan Arabic accent as al-bayyīzīn, meaning "the falconers", although this is disputed by some linguists.

El Albayzin in Granada Spain is a wonderful neighborhood to explore on foot. While strolling along the whitewashed streets, visitors can admire old Moorish homes, beautiful fountains, and attractive plazas. Among the more renowned plazas is the Plaza de San Nicolas. It is at this plaza that the Mirador de San Nicolas can be found. This "mirador," or lookout point, offers amazing views of the Alhambra, especially at sunset.

 The Albaycin is like a different world within Granada. This is due to the strong Muslim influence in this area. It was the place where the first Ziri court was built in the eleventh century.

The city descended from Saint Nicholas to the banks of the River Darro. The Albaycin featured luxurious carmenes and public baths, like the Banuelo

There is a lot to see in the Albaicin Quarter, including remnants of an old gate, Puerta Elvira, to the city and numerous cisterns that harken back to days gone by.

Despite the development that followed the Christian conquest, the Albayzín still bears witness to the medieval Moorish settlement, as its urban fabric, architecture and main characteristics (form, materials, colours), were not changed when it was adapted to the Christian way of life, to survive as a remarkable example of a Spanish-Moorish town.



Nowdays, Albaycin Bajo has a very North African feel, and you will find kebabs and falafel on the local restaurant menus. As for the shops, they offer all kinds of things, including Moroccan handicrafts. Many are found along Calle Caldereria Nueva, which extends from the Albaicin to some of the city's more modern neighborhoods.



Next to the Arabic Quarter in Granada it's  Sacromonte. A neighborhood of sorts, Sacromonte is known for its gitano (gypsy) heritage and features some interesting caves. It's also where the Granada flamenco shows take place.

Read More

Madrasa ﻣﺩﺭﺴة of the Nasrid monarch Yusuf I in Granada

In the first half of the fourteenth century, the Nasrid Sultan Yusuf I ordered the construction of a madrasa next to Granada's congregational mosque.

Fragments from the original façade are preserved in the Museo Arqueológico y Etnológico de Granada, including an inscription, which states that the building was dedicated in the month of Muhurram in 750 (March or April 1349).



It is located on the street now known as Calle Oficios. The madrasa was built at the heart of the city, near the main mosque (now the site of the Granada Cathedral) and the Alcaicería, then the elite bazaar where silk, gold, linen and other cloth were traded. Ibn al-Khatib was an early student there; among his teachers were Ibn al-Fajjar, Ibn Marzuq, and Ibn al-Hayy (language and law); Ibn al-Hakam and the poet Ibn al-Yayyab (rhetoric); and Sheik Yahya ibn Hudayl (medicine and philosophy).

The building

As was typical of the works of Yusuf I, the building was splendid, with a white marble entrance. The building was originally organized around a pool in the center.

The only surviving part of the school is the prayer room. It is a square-shaped room oriented by its mihrab. Carved, polychrome plaster covers the upper portions of the walls and doorjamb. Calligraphy consistent in style and content with other Nasrid monuments is an integral part of the decoration. Muqarnas in the four corners of the room form an upward transition into an octagonal drum that has sixteen windows with pierced screens.

Above the prayer room is an octagonal wooden ceiling with interlaced star shapes, open in the center and topped by a smaller octagonal drum with sixteen windows and a plaster-decorated ceiling. (Segments of the ceiling have been modified during restoration.)

The façade was decorated with inscriptions of poetry and philosophy. Among these were the words "If in your spirit you provide a place for the desire to study and to flee from the shadows of ignorance, you will find in it the beautiful tree of honor. Make study shine like stars to the great, and to those who are not, bring to them the same brilliance."

Baroque façade of the Madrasa of Granada (detail).

After the completion of the Reconquista and the conversion to the Cabildo an adjacent house was Baroque, so that what we have today is essentially an 18th-century building with elements of older buildings. The oratory or mihrab is original from the 14th century; the Sala de los Caballeros XXIV is Mudéjar.

annexed to enlarge the building. The octagonal Mudéjar Sala de Cabildos was constructed in this era; its 1513 decoration included an inscription alluding to the Christian conquest of the city. Eventually the pool was filled in and converted to other uses, although even after the modifications of 1554–1556, Francisco Henríquez de Jorquera describes a patio with a pool and a garden. The building was subject to major modifications, especially in the 1722–1729 at the height of the

The building, which belongs to the University of Granada, underwent extensive archeological excavations in 2006–2007. As of February 2009, restoration of the interior was just beginning, and the building is not currently open to the public.

History

The madrasa is located on this street called Calle Oficios

The Madrasa functioned as a university until late 1499 or early 1500, under the Treaty of Granada (1491), under which the sultan Boabdil of the Emirate of Granada surrendered to the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella. However, towards the end of 1499, the policy of tolerance and compliance with that treaty under archbishop Hernando de Talavera, came to an abrupt end with the arrival in Granada of Gonzalo Jiménez de Cisneros, who substituted a policy of forced religious conversions.

This new policy led to an uprising in Granada, above all in the Albaicín. Cisneros took advantage of the situation to assault the Madrasah, the contents of whose library was brought to the plaza of Bib-Rambla and burned in a public bonfire. Once pillaged and closed, the building was designated in 1500 by Ferdinand II to be the new Casa del Cabildo (city hall).

In 1858 the town hall moved to the Plaza del Carmen, and the building was sold to be used as a textile warehouse. Two years later, the principal inscription of the Mihrab was discovered. There was also some fire damage in this era; the Echeverría family, owners of the building, hired Mariano Contreras, the same architect who restored the Alhambra, to undertake the repairs.

The city bought back the building in the early 20th century, leading to further restoration work in 1939. There was an unsuccessful attempt in 1942 to turn the building into the seat of a new Instituto de los Reyes Católicos del Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas ("Catholic Monarchs Institute of the Superior Council of Scientific Investigations"). In 1976, the building became part of the University of Granada.

Read More

Documentary in Arabic: The Alhambra, an Andalusi palatine city in Granada (Spain). قصر الحمراء. التراث نظري.

The Alhambra, in Granada, Spain is one of the most evocative buildings I've ever visited in my life. It's an absolute must-visit for any traveller to Andalucia - the biggest province in Southern Spain.
The Alhambra was an Arabic fortress built while the Moors (Muslims from North Africa) still laid claim to this part of Spain - back in the c13th or so.

"Alhambra" is a Spanish rendering of the Arabic words "qa'lat al-Hamra", meaning "red castle". The significance of the "red" part is easy to see, as it comes from the dusty red stone that was used to build the thick walls around the castle.

The entire site has got a magic feeling to it - a raise-the-hairs-on-the-back-of-your-neck kind of buzz that envelops you from the moment you begin the steep climb to its entrance-way.
The Alhambra rustles with incredible Arabic myths, and is filled with the whispers of ghosts from times gone by. It's staggeringly beautiful, and feels like a creation from an old story-book, miraculously brought to life.

The setting is also like something from a picture postcard. The Alhambra stands proudly atop of one of the steep vantage-points of Granada - a hill called La Sabika.

The castle lurks behind blood-red boundary walls, and is framed against the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountain-range, some distance behind.

Read More

Artinya Apa Agensi Pariwisata Halal?

'Halal' adalah istilah yang disebutkan dalam Al-Qur'an yang artinya 'diizinkan, sehat dan bermanfaat, hal ini merupakan cerminan perilaku dari orang Muslim.

Ketika seorang turis Muslim memilih tujuan tempat liburan, sebagian besar waktu mereka akan di habiskan untuk berlibur ke tempat yang memiliki akses ke fasilitas dan pelayanan sesuai dengan tatacara gaya kehidupan menurut hukum Islam.

Hal ini menyebabkan awal dari terbentuknya pasar pariwisata Islam di Andalusia, Spanyol dan Eropa pada umumnya, di mana jenis pariwisata Islam ini perlu untuk dikembangkan.

Oleh karena itu, diadakanlah kongres pertama Pariwisata Internasional tentang 'Halal' di mana Alhamratour juga hadir, ini merupakan forum perintis di Eropa yang digelar beberapa hari lalu di Granada, di mana industri pariwisata global akan bertemu untuk memperdalam khasanah pariwisata Islam di Eropa. Peserta yang hadir dari berbagai macam pariwisatapun turut serta untuk melaporkan parawisata Islam terkini. 

Pada tahun 2013 Alhamratour lahir di Granada (Andalusia, Spanyol), ini adalah lembaga pariwisata yang halal, keseluruhan pegawainya terdiri dari orang-orang Muslim Spanyol dan negara lainnya untuk mendukung parawisata Islam di Eropa.

Alhamratour  mengawasi semua kegiatan perjalanan bagi semua tamu-tamu pariwisata agar hanya mengkonsumsi produk dan pelayanan yang halal, sehingga tamu-tamu tersebut bisa menikmati perjalannya tanpa harus ragu-ragu karena biasanya seorang Muslim akan merasakan perbedaan yang signifikan ketika jalan-jalan di negara non-Islam. 

Oleh sebab itu, untuk membuat suatu perjalanan pariwisata yang halal dan menyenangkan, Alhamratour menemani dan menyediakan transportasi serta memandu tamu-tamu parawisata dari kedatangan sampai kepulangannya di beberapa tempat tujuan dengan berbagai aktivitas pariwisata di Maroko, Spanyol dan negara lain di Eropa, dengan cara menggabungkan perjalanan beberapa negara menjadi satu perjalanan pariwisata.

Pelayanan pemandu pariwisata ini akan ditawarkan dalam bahasa Spanyol, Arab, Inggris, Perancis dan Jerman. 

Dalam pelayanannya, Alhamratour memanfaatkan kekayaan warisan Muslim Spanyol dengan memberikan informasi untuk menelusuri jejak-jejak budaya Islam. Selain memperlihatkan monumen-monumen yang lebih terkenal dari setiap tempat, Alhamratour akan memberikan penjelasan tentang warisan sejarah Andalusia yang sangat kaya di seluruh negara Spanyol serta pastinya tidak lupa juga untuk mengunjungi semua tempat-tempat Islam di Spanyol pada zaman sekarang ini. Alhamratour juga memiliki kegiatan kunjungan ke beberapa masjid dan komunitas-komunitas yang penting dan berpengaruh hingga saat ini.

Read More

Travel the Halal Way and discover the Royal Alcazars of Seville

You can visit this city in our tour Spain & Morocco of  10days / nights

The Alcázar of Seville (Spanish "Reales Alcázares de Sevilla" or "Royal Alcazars of Seville",  is a royal palace in Seville, Spain, originally a Moorish fort. The palace is renown as one of the most beautiful in Spain. It is the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe, and it was registered in 1987 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, along with the Seville Cathedral and the General Archive of the Indies.

The construction of the fort was ordered by Abd Al Ramn III, Caliph of Al-Andalus, in the year 913, which was changed into a fortified palace during the 11th century. In the 13th century, Seville now being in the hands of Castile, King Alfonso X ´the Wise´ extended it further.

3D orientation map of the Alcazar palace, Seville - Andalusia, Spain.

 
Pedro I, "the cruel" (1350 to 1369), made significant additions to the palace which is one of the most important examples of Mudejar architecture in Seville. The numerous rooms, patios and halls vary in architectural styles from the Islamic to Neoclassical. The beautiful gardens and fountains are specially worth visiting.

Also wanting to make their mark, the Alcázar was even further ´improved´ on by later kings; for example, the 16th century Emperor Charles V added elements in Gothic and Renaissance style to the palace.

Since the Alcázar has a century´s long history of expansions and renovations, one of the coolest things about it is it´s mixture of architectural styles. But the unavoidable highlight and an absolute must-see is the Mudejar Palace of Peter I (followed closely by the Gardens).

Interesting parts of the Alcazar

Horse shoe arches at the entrance of the ambassadors

Salon de los Embajadores (The Ambassadors Room): The magnificent dome of the Ambassadors Room is decorated with gilded cedar wood sculptures.

Arcos de Herradura (Horse Shoe arches): The Ambassadors Room is decorated with tiles and complex plaster work. It shows a beautiful example of the typical horse shoe arches.

El patio del yeso (plaster)

El Patio de la Montera (The Hunting Patio): This was the meeting place of the court before the hunt took place. The faade of the palace of Pedro I is a unique example of Mudejar design.

El Patio del Yeso (The Plaster Patio): This beautiful, ornate garden full of flowers and streams maintains elements of the almohade architectural style of the Moors from the 12 century.

El patio de las doncellas (maidens)

 Patio de las Doncellas (Patio of the maidens): This patio was decorated by the best architects in Granada. Patio del Crucero is above the ancient baths.

Salones de Carlos V (Rooms of Charles V): The rooms and chapel of Charles V are decorated with tapestries and coloured tiles from 16 Century.

El Patio de las Muñecas (The Patio of the Dolls): This patio with its bedrooms and adjacent corridors was the heart of the palace. It takes its name from the two tiny faces that decorate its arches.

The Gardens of the Alcazar Palace

Gardens of the Alcazar Palace

 These gardens, adorned with fountains and pavilions, provide shelter from the hustle and bustle of Seville. 

Jardin Inglés (English gardens). These gardens are modelled on those of the British Isles from 18 Century. The door to the Alcoba is of Islamic origin. The park was built in 1909 and the main gardener of the Real Casa de Campo, Juan Gras, was put in charge of planting the flowers. However, there are doubts as to whether his radical style fits in with the surroundings.

Jardin de los Poetas (The Garden of the Poets) The design of this garden is similar to that of the Forestier thanks to the influence of Joaquin Romero Murube. It's most emblematic feature is the two ponds that were inspired by the Arabs and Romans.

The english gardens at the Alcazar palace

 Jardin de la Vega Inclan (Garden of Vega Inclan) This is a well designed garden inspired by the Damas even though it lacks the refinement that had once existed. This garden consists of 20 mostly square flower beds that are separated by paths and fountains. These gardens took their inspiration from Islamic culture and the Renaissance.






Jardin de la Alcubilla (Garden of the Reservoir): This garden existed during the time of Charles V.

Jardin de la Alcubilla

In 913 the Caliph of Al-Andalus (modern Andalusia) ordered the construction of a castle there, which was changed into a fortified palace during the 11^th century. In the 13^th century, Seville now being in the hands of Castile, King Alfonso X ´the Wise´ extended it further.

About a hundred years later, King Peter I ordered the construction of one more palace on the site. Nowadays, this gorgeous palace is considered to be one of the best remaining examples of mudéjar architecture – a symbiosis of Christian and Moorish techniques and architecture; the two cultures living side by side at the time.

Also wanting to make their mark, the Alcázar was even further ´improved´ on by later kings; for example, the 16^th century Emperor Charles V added elements in Gothic and Renaissance style to the palace.

Since the Alcázar has a century´s long history of expansions and renovations, one of the coolest things about it is it´s mixture of architectural styles. But the unavoidable highlight and an absolute must-see is the Mudejar Palace of Peter I (followed closely by the Gardens).

- See more at: http://travelersinnseville.com/516/the-history-of-the-royal-alcazares-of-seville#sthash.RDaSRMUX.dpuf

In 913 the Caliph of Al-Andalus (modern Andalusia) ordered the construction of a castle there, which was changed into a fortified palace during the 11^th century. In the 13^th century, Seville now being in the hands of Castile, King Alfonso X ´the Wise´ extended it further.

About a hundred years later, King Peter I ordered the construction of one more palace on the site. Nowadays, this gorgeous palace is considered to be one of the best remaining examples of mudéjar architecture – a symbiosis of Christian and Moorish techniques and architecture; the two cultures living side by side at the time.

Also wanting to make their mark, the Alcázar was even further ´improved´ on by later kings; for example, the 16^th century Emperor Charles V added elements in Gothic and Renaissance style to the palace.

Since the Alcázar has a century´s long history of expansions and renovations, one of the coolest things about it is it´s mixture of architectural styles. But the unavoidable highlight and an absolute must-see is the Mudejar Palace of Peter I (followed closely by the Gardens).

- See more at: http://travelersinnseville.com/516/the-history-of-the-royal-alcazares-of-seville#sthash.RDaSRMUX.dpuf

In 913 the Caliph of Al-Andalus (modern Andalusia) ordered the construction of a castle there, which was changed into a fortified palace during the 11^th century. In the 13^th century, Seville now being in the hands of Castile, King Alfonso X ´the Wise´ extended it further.

About a hundred years later, King Peter I ordered the construction of one more palace on the site. Nowadays, this gorgeous palace is considered to be one of the best remaining examples of mudéjar architecture – a symbiosis of Christian and Moorish techniques and architecture; the two cultures living side by side at the time.

Also wanting to make their mark, the Alcázar was even further ´improved´ on by later kings; for example, the 16^th century Emperor Charles V added elements in Gothic and Renaissance style to the palace.

Since the Alcázar has a century´s long history of expansions and renovations, one of the coolest things about it is it´s mixture of architectural styles. But the unavoidable highlight and an absolute must-see is the Mudejar Palace of Peter I (followed closely by the Gardens).

- See more at: http://travelersinnseville.com/516/the-history-of-the-royal-alcazares-of-seville#sthash.RDaSRMUX.dpuf

Read More

Mazapán (from Arabic موثابان mawthābān), an arab sweet born in Toledo in Al-Andalus

Travel the halal way to Toledo (Spain) and discover this delicius andalusian sweet, mazapán (from Arabic موثابان mawthābān)


This sweet is made from peeled and ground raw almonds, kneaded with sugar, which is usually shaped to form small figures. The most famous marzipan is made in Toledo, and its production is protected by a Protected Geographic Indication (PGI). This city has a long history of marzipan making, although its origin is unclear. According to some, marzipan was created by the Arabs: the word comes from 'mahsaban', which is applied to all types of sweets made from almonds and other dried fruits and nuts. Others believe It's origin is in Spain, then known as Al-Andalus, in Toledo (850-900, though more probably 1150 during the reign of Alfonso VII) . 

In Toledo this specialty was known as Postre Regio (instead of Mazapán) and there are also mentions in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights of an almond paste eaten during Ramadan and as an aphrodisiac.

Read More

Alhamratour "Travel the Halal way" ¿Que es una Agencia de Turismo Halal?

‘Halal’ es un término que aparece mencionado en el Corán y que significa ‘permitido, saludable y beneficioso’, referido tanto a alimentación como a conductas para el musulmán.

Cuando un turista musulmán elige destino vacacional lo hace, en la gran mayoría de las veces, pensando en un lugar en el que tenga acceso a establecimientos que ofrezcan servicios acordes a su forma de vida y conforme a la ley islámica. 

Turistas musulmanes en el Patio de los Leones de la Alhambra 

Esto ha creado una demanda en el mercado del turismo en Andalucia, España y Europa en general, donde este tipo de turismo emergente está en proceso de adecuación para su posible explotación.

Así se ha puesto de manifiesto en el primer Congreso Internacional de Turismo ‘Halal’, donde Alhamratour estuvo presente, un foro pionero en Europa, celebrado hace solo unos días en Granada, donde  la industria del turismo mundial se dio cita para profundizar en las formas de aprovechar este nicho de mercado. En el evento se informó a los asistentes de las previsiones de este tipo de turismo y sus tendencias para dar a conocer este mercado de consumidores musulmanes.

Es en este contexto en el año 2013 cuando nace Alhamratour en Granada (Andalucia, España), agencia de turismo halal, formada íntegramente por trabajadores musulmanes españoles y otras nacionalidades para dar soporte a esta demanda.

Alhamratour durante la estancia del cliente clientes cuida al detalle para que solo consuma productos y servicios halal y  pueda disfrutar de sus vacaciones sin preocuparse de las cuestiones típicas al viajar a un país no musulmán.

Para ello Alhamratour acompaña, transporta y guía en todo momento al turista desde su llegada hasta su ida dentro de una amplia gama de destinos y actividades en Marruecos, España y resto de Europa, con la posibilidad de combinarlos en un solo tour. 

Los acompañamientos se realizan en español, árabe, inglés, francés y alemán entre otros.

Turistas visitando y realizando sus rezos en la Mezquita Mayor de Granada

Alhamratour aprovecha también el rico legado hispano-musulmán para dar un valor cultural añadido a sus servicios. Aparte de enseñar los monumentos más emblemáticos de cada lugar, hacemos especial incapié en mostrar el rico histórico legado andalusí existente en todo el territorio español, así como el entorno hispano-musulmán actual visitando las comunidades y mezquitas más representativas del lugar.

Read More

ALCAICERÍA, the old silk market in muslim times in GRANADA

Travel the halal way.... and discover ALCAICERÍA, the old silk market in muslim times (GRANADA).

The Alpujarra mountain range, was important for the production of silk, where silkworms feasted on the leaves of the Mulberry trees. The raw material was then transported by mules, to Granada,where the silk threads were woven, then sold, either in bales, or made into clothing etc.

In the centre of Granadas' city, a bazaar was built , consisting of a grid like network of streets, with merchants shops, and inns, for the merchants to sleep, eat and conduct business. (The Corral del Carbon was originally a merchants inn - see my tip for further info).

Arched Gateways led into the bazzar, which were locked at night, while night watchmen guarded the area.

Originally, this bazaar covered the area from Plaza Nueva to Plaza Bib Rambla, and was a very important trading area.

However, on the night of 19th July 1843, a fire started in a shop that made matches, and the entire bazaar was destroyed. The area was soon re-built, but on a smaller scale.

Today, the bazaar still operates as a centre for trading, but mainly goods sold are souvenirs or crafts. It is an interesting place to wander around. Besides looking at the goods for sale, there are some good examples of Islamic architecture, and tiled wall decorations.

Read More